Boat-propelling mechanism



C. H. CLOWER.

BOA] PROPELLING MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED AUG-22, l9l9.

Patented Feb. 1,1921.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l- A TTORA/EV.

C. H. CLOWER.

BOAT PROPELLING MECHANISM. APPLICATION FILED AUG-22.1919.

Patented Feb. 1, 1921.

INVENTOR m ATTORNEY.

CHARLES Hi CLOWER, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

noar-rnornrnme MECHANISM.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 1, 1921.

Application filed August 22, 1919. Serial No. 319,072. 7

To cll whom it may concern Be it known that I, Crrannnsll. GLoWnn, acitizenof the United States, and a resident of Philadelphia, in the county of Philadelphia and State of Pennsylvania, have invented an Improvement in Boat-Propelling Mechanism, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to mechanism for propelling boats, and it has for one of its objects to provide an improvement in such mechanism whereby it may be arranged more compactly and whereby it may be more 1ejasily placedand secured in position in the A further object of the invention is to provide construction which is particularly well adapted for use upon boats with narrow end portions, because it can he installed within. such relatively narrow limits that it may be extended into the narrow spaces between the opposite sides of the said end portions, or, for that matter, any otliernarrow space within the boat.

A further object is to provide an improve ment in the supportingmeans for the operative parts of the propelling mechanism.

Further objects andadvantages of the invention will be pointed out in the detailed description thereof which follows or will be apparent from such description; i

In order that my invention inay 'be readily understood and its practical advantages fully appreciated, reference should be had to the accompanying drawings in which I- have illustrated one convenient form. of embodi ment of the same: However, it will be understood that the invention is susceptible of embodiment in other forms of construm tion, than that shown and that changes in the construction within the scope of the claims may be made without departing; from said levers, the bearings and the support for the latter being shown in section; and

Fig. 6 is a view in side elevation of a portion of the steering mechanism.

Referring to the drawings: 1 designates a boat, the rear or stern end only being shown. 2 designates a bar or sill which extends longitudinally of the boat, said sill being supported upon cross bars or members 3 which extendtransversely of the boat and may be supported upon thesidesthereof or otherwise as may be preferred. The 1011- gitudinal sill 2 constitutes the support for the mechanism for propelling the propeller shaft 4. The latter is journaled in a bear. ing 5 in known manner and is provided at its outer end with propeller blades 6. At its forward end portion the propeller shaft 4 is mounted in a bearing in the lower end of a bracket 8 secured to the sill 2. Such forward end is provided with a bevel gear 10 which isin mesh or engagement with a bevel gear 11 secured to the outer end of a shaft 12 supported in bearings 13 in the lower ends of brackets 14, secured to the sill 2. The shaft 12 is provided with a pinion 15 which is in mesh with a relatively large spur gear 16proportioned to act as a fly wheel secured bv means of bolts 17 to what may he described as a flange or hub portion 19 upon the shaft 20 provided at its opposite ends with crank arms 21 which,

preferably, are integral therewith. These crank arms may however 00115181: ofi separate members secured to the outer ends of the shaft 20. The shaft QOis supported in bearings22" upon thelowenends of bra kets 23 secured upon the, opposite: sides of the silil2. The outer ends of the crank arms 21? are provided with laterally, outwardly extending lugs 24, to which the rearwardly the same in order to allow the placing of the spur gear in place to, be fastenedby the bolts 17.

It wilhbe noted that the gears are supported underneath the sill} 2 and that the spur gear 16 extends upwardly through a central slot 30in said sill, It will be understood, however, that the gears may be supported in other positions with respect to the said sill. The forward ends of the rods are connected to the lower ends of rocking or oscillating levers and 36. These levers are provided with trunnions 37 and 38 supported in a bearing 40. These trunnions are respectively provided with heads .41 which are seated in an enlarged portion of the bearing, the shoulders of said enlarged portion being seated against the shoulders formed by the heads 41, to thereby retain the trunnions 37 and 38 in place.

Operatinmrods or bars 42 and 43 are seagainst which the feet of the operator sitting upon the seat 45 may be placed.

The operation of the mechanism will now be briefly stated, although apparent from the description. The operator takes his seat upon the seat 45 and grasps with his ri ht hand the handle upon the operating rod or bar 43, and in his left hand the handle upon the operating rod or bar 42, and places his feet respectively upon the lower ends of the rocking levers 36 and 35. By alternately operating the rocking levers 35 and 36, rotary movement may be imparted in either direction through the rods 25 and the crank arms 21 to the spur gear 16. From the latter rotation is imparted to the spur pinion 1.5 andthe bevel gears 11 and 10. The latter is secured to the propeller shaft 4, in consequenceof which the latter is rotated to drive the propeller 6 and eifect either a forward or a rearward movement of the boat.

It will be noted that a second set of rocking or oscillating levers 50 and 51 is shown having connection at their lower ends by means of the rods 52 to the lower ends of the rocking levers 35'and 36., The upper ends of the rocking members 50 and 51 are provided with operating rods or bars 55, having handles at their rear ends which are adapted to be grasped by an operator sitting upon a seat 56 supported upon the longitudinal sill or supporting member 2. The lower ends ofthe rocking levers 50 and 51 areprovided with pedals 57 corresponding or similar to the pedals 46 and 47 upon the lower ends of the rocking levers 35 and 36, for a like purpose- The rocking levers 50 and 51 and the rods 52 and 55 are supplemental to the corresponding parts 35 and 36, etc. previously described, and may or may not be used, as desired or preferred. They may be allowed to remain in place and to operate idly as the operator sitting upon the seat 45 operates the rocking levers 35 and 36, or they may be removed; also the mechanism may be driven through the operating levers 50 and 51 without an operator for operating the rocking levers 35 and 36, the latter in such case rocking idly in conformity with the rocking movements of the rocking le vers 50 and 51. In the case of two operators it will be understood, of course, that an additional amount of power may be ultimately applied to the propeller shaft to thereby propel the boat more powerfully and rapidly through the water.

It may be noted here that one or more additional couples or sets of rocking levers may be employed if such additional number should be desired or preferred.

In the construction the rudder 60 is mounted upon a rod 61 pivoted in bearings at 62 and 63. Said rod is provided with oppositely extending arms 64 near its upper end, to which the opposite ends of the steer ing or controlling rope 65 may be secured. One portion of the said rope extends through eyes 66 upon the top edge and along a side of the boat and thence inwardly as shown at 67 to a small grooved wheel 68 supported upon the sill 2, and thence rearwardly to the lower end of a lever 69 pivoted at 70 to a bearing 71 upon the said sill. The rope extends through eyes 72 upon the upper side of the sill 2 and thence to the opposite end of the cross bar 64 to which it is connected.

Secured to the said bearing 71 is a curved rack member 73 with the teeth of which a catch 74 is adapted to engage to hold the said lever 69 in any position to which it may be adjusted. The catch 74 is secured to the lower end of a spring pressed rod 75 mounted upon the lever 69. The spring for holding the rod 75 in position to cause the catch 74 to engage the rack teeth is shown at 76 in Fig. 6.

Any suitable arrangement of steering mechanism may be employed. I have shown the steering mechanism described merely as a convenient form of suchmechanism.

By the word boat herein I intend to comprehend and include water craft of all descriptions, although I have shown my invention as applied to a canoe.

I claim:

1. In combination, a boat, a sill extending centrally and longitudinally and a distance from the bottom thereof, a propeller shaft, gears mounted upon the said sill for driving the said propeller shaft, rocking levers, each said rocking lever being provided with a trunnion projecting inwardly therefrom and at right angles thereto, a bearing member secured to said sill'for supporting said trunnions, connections between the said rocking levers and the said gears, and means having connection with the upper and lower ends of said arms for causing rocking movement of said rocking levers to effect operation of said gears to drive the said propeller shaft.

2. In boat propelling mechanism, in combination, a sill extending longitudinally of the boat and supported thereon a distance from the bottom thereof, gear mechanism supported upon the said sill, a propeller shaft having connection with the said gear mechanism and adapted to be driven there by, crank arms having connection. with one of the gears of the said 'ear mechanism, rocking levers situated a dlstance from the said gear mechanism, said levers each having a trunnion projecting inwardly there from, a bearing upon the said sill in which said trunnions are mounted for supporting the said rocking levers, connections between the lower ends of said rocking levers and the said crank arms, and means for operating the said rocking levers to operate the said gear mechanism, said means comprising pedals at the lower ends of said levers and handles at the upper ends thereof, substantially as described.

3. In boat propelling mechanism, the combination of a propeller shaft provided at its outer end with a propeller and at its inner end with a bevel pinion, a bevel gear in engagement with said bevel pinion, a shaft for supporting said bevel gear, a spur pinion upon said shaft, a spur gear in mesh with the said spur pinion, a shaft for supporting the said spur gear, said. shaft being provided with crank arms at its outer ends, a sill extending longitudinally of the boat for supporting the said gears, said sill being situated above the bottom of said boat, rocking levers supported at points intermediate their ends upon said sill, the opposite ends of said levers extending above and below said sill, connecting rods between the lower ends of said levers and the outer ends of said crank arms, and means for manually operating the said rocking levers, substantially as described.

4;. In a boat and in combination, a sill sup ported centrally and extending longitudi- :nally and at a distance above the bottom of said boat, sald sill having a central slot therein, shaft bearings supported upon said sill and situated upon opposite sides of said slot, a shaft mounted in said bearings, a gear wheel on said shaft which wheel extends through the said slot in said sill, a propeller shaft and means intermediate said propeller shaft and the said gear whereby rotation of the latter causes rotation of said propeller shaft.

5. In a boat and in combination, a sill situated a distance above the bottom and extending longitudinally of said boat, said sill being provided. with a central slot extending therethrough, bearings supported upon said sill. upon opposite sides of the said slot, a shaft supported in said bearings, a gear wheel upon said shaft which wheel extends through the said slot, a propeller shaft having connection with said sill for supporting one end of said propeller shaft, said end of said propeller shaft being provided with a gear, gears situated intermediate the first and second named gears whereby when the first named gear is driven the said propeller shaft is driven, and means upon the said sill for supporting the said intermediate ears.

In testimony that I claim the foregomg as my invention I have hereunto signed my name this 18th day of August, A. D. 1919. CHARLEb H. GLOWER. 

